ACCOMODATION

POP CULTURE

Maid cafes, anime, manga, cosplay; Osaka has it all in spades. The annual Nipponbashi Street Festa, held in March, is a great way to see the wonderful and weird strut their stuff. Also in Nipponbashi and nearby Shinsaibashi you can treat yourself to the unique experience of omotenashi, or hospitality, at one of city's maid cafes. For those looking to get their hands on manga and anime, Mandarake in Umeda has it all from costumes to collectibles. ATC Hall is a well-known hang-out where you'll find friendly cosplay enthusiasts, while the nearby Intex Building hosts the twice yearly Comic City Osaka convention. And when in Namba don't forget to check out NMB48, Osaka's very own idol group.